CompostGuy

Yesterday I picked up my 2008 F150 XLT that I bought from Texas Wildlife. Decent truck, 143,000 miles. When I had the oil changed they pointed out that I had no reverse lights or brake lights.

I was 200 highway miles from home and made my way home carefullly. Along the way I tried a few things to fix it. The turn signals work, the hazards work. I changed the 3rd brake light bulb, no change. Then I swapped out the brake switch on the peddle. Once I did that the brake warning light on the dashboard came on and now won't go off. I have swapped back and forth between the old and new switch, no change. When I was taking it apart it kinda fell apart, so I suspect the issue is how I've put it back together.

I had time to dwell on it and figure the plastic bushing goes into the shaft that comes from the engine compartment. I suspect the end of that shaft also needs to make contact with the contact point on the switch. I don't know if the contact needs to be constant or only when peddle pressed. Then again I maybe way off base on my whole theory of operation.

In looking at the wires leading from the switch, I see some splices. The other ends of those splices have been cut, I recall. This truck is former law enforcement so likely they had all sorts of things wired into the truck that are now no longer present.

I need help understanding the switch and how I might go about turning off the dashboard light. I also need a wiring diagram so that I can start to understand what goes where and to what and make heads or tails of this.

I did find a tiny speaker like thing under the hood that had its wires cut, turns out it was only the factory alarm speaker. I was hoping maybe they'd forgotten some noise maker.

Jojodapyro

My bet is that they stripped it quickly, and cut some things that they shouldn't have. Take your time and track it all down. I must say it is my least favorite thing to do.

PerryB

Considering it's ex-law enforcement, look for an add-on switch or switches that seem to have no purpose. I'd bet they had switches on those two circuits so they could run dark at night. If there is evidence of switches being removed, look for the wires that went to them. It's probably just a matter of splicing them back together, OR.. install your own switches so you can go sneaking 'round in the dark. Not that I would have ever done anything like that......

CompostGuy

THANK. YOU!!!!

As I read your comments it made complete sense. There are two wires that have been spliced into the brake light switch and ran towards the center console. They were both cut and left alone. I spliced them together and I had brake lights!!!

Turns out the brake system warning light was due to the parking brake and being fully up and off.

I'm hoping to locate and find a similar wire issue for the reverse lights, haven't found it yet.

redfishtd